Extradition, Expulsion, Election

Ed Miliband looks likely to impose only a one-line whip against Monday's Commons motion on one-sided extradition arrangements with the United States, effectively giving the green light to abstain or to vote in favour. As phrased, that motion does go a bit far. But the repeal of those arrangements is crucial to the restoration of our personal and national liberty.

However, the American Ambassador has been lobbying our MPs to oppose that restoration. I do not know when the expelled Iranian Ambassador has ever interfered directly in our parliamentary process. When can we expect the American Ambassador to be expelled? Why has he not already been?

There is no reason to ask what would happen if a British Ambassador in Washington behaved like that. He never would, because he would know that no one on Capitol Hill would pay him the tiniest heed if he tried. That total lack of attention would be entirely correct. What does it say about our lot, that a foreign emissary sees any point in making such approaches to them?